ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday constituted a three-member committee to determine the veracity of allegations levelled by anchorperson Dr Shahid Masood in the Zainab rape-murder case.

Headed by Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Bashir Memon, the committee consists of Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Islamabad, Anwar Ali and Assistant Inspector General (operation division) of Islamabad police Asmatullah Junejo.

At the last hearing on Sunday in Lahore, the chief justice had constituted the new committee when Dr Masood expressed his distrust of the joint investigation team (JIT). The court, however, had rejected the idea of forming a judicial commission for the purpose.

The new committee has been tasked with recording the statement of Dr Masood and considering any material he desires to produce in support of his claim during the inquiry. The committee will also collect any other relevant material available from other quarters to furnish its report to the court within a month.

The committee will also check the veracity of the allegations levelled by Dr Masood and give a clear finding to ascertain whether the allegations are correct or otherwise.

In his programme on private television channel News One, Dr Masood had claimed that Imran Ali, the prime suspect in the Zainab rape-murder case, was an active member of a child pornography ring being run by certain influential people.

The anchor also claimed that the suspect maintained at least 37 bank accounts majority of which were in foreign currency with transactions in dollar, euro and pound sterling.

In his TV programme, Dr Masood had requested the chief justice, the prime minister and the army chief to take notice of these facts, claiming that the alleged rapist was neither a psychic, deranged or insane nor a simpleton.

Later, the State Bank came up with a clarification that the suspect had no local or foreign bank accounts.

Spokesperson for the Punjab government Malik Ahmed Khan had told the media that Dr Masood did not appear before the JIT despite issuance of notice to him, and alleged that the anchorperson had concocted a baseless story to derail the investigations.

Consequently, the Supreme Court had invited a number of anchors and senior journalists to the hearing in Lahore where the court decided to constitute the committee.

The Supreme Court said the new committee could associate any senior officer of the State Bank for investigation into the alleged bank accounts of suspect Imran Ali, as well as other experts or officers/officials who it might consider helpful for the purpose of conducting the inquiry and probing the issue raised by Dr Masood in his programme and the statement given by him outside the court premises.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2018